Changing Manchu Identity in Everyday Life: An Intergenerational Study of Three Generations within One Community

This study investigates the construction of ethnic identity across three generations within Manchu families in the Xincheng District of Liaoyang, with the aim of revealing intergenerational differences in Manchu ethnic consciousness in the context of contemporary urbanization. It seeks to provide empirical evidence for understanding identity transformation and cultural continuity among ethnic minorities in the process of modernization. A qualitative research approach is employed, selecting Xincheng District in Liaoyang, Liaoning Province, as the field site. Semi-structured interviews are conducted with multiple Manchu families. Focusing on three dimensions, “identity cognition,” “family life practices,” and “transmission of cultural memory”, the narratives of participants from three generations are organized and comparatively analyzed to examine both the commonalities and specificities in their ethnic identity construction. The findings reveal a significant intergenerational shift: while the eldest generation views Manchu identity through a lens of historical struggle and "lived essence," the middle generation perceives it as a set of ethical duties and "respect for ancestry." In contrast, the youngest generation treats their ethnicity as a "cultural egg"—a symbolic, nominal identity often triggered by institutional interactions like filling out forms. This study concludes that while traditional practices like the Kang culture are physically vanishing due to urbanization, symbolic boundaries, such as the taboo on dog meat, persist as vital emotional anchors and markers of ethnic distinction.